U.S. issues worldwide travel alert
The U.S. issues a worldwide travel alert for its citizens in response to “increased terrorist threats”. The alert advises US citizens to “exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation”and to “be aware of immediate surroundings and avoid large crowds or crowded places”. The alert will remain in place until 24 February 2016. State Department:
[There is] currently… no reason to believe that US citizens would be specifically targeted.
State: 150 emails upgraded to ‘classified’ status
The State Department says 150 of 7000 pages of emails it will release today from clinton’s server have had their status upgraded to ‘classified’. Spokesperson:
The information we’ve upgraded was not marked classified at the time the emails were sent…That’s our estimation right now.
State Dept did not protect Clinton emails after hack
A State Department official says the department could not do anything in response to the March 2013 hack of longtime Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal because it occurred on a non-governmental computer system. The hacked emails, which included Blumenthal’s frequent correspondence with Clinton while she was in office in 2012, were sent by the Romanian hacker to media organizations, which later posted them online.
305 docs with potentially classified information
The State Department reports to a Federal court that it is getting back on schedule for publicly releasing Clinton’s emails after falling more than 1,000 pages behind in July, when the need to screen messages for secret information overwhelmed the department. Five security agencies are involved in the review, and have checked 20 percent of the emails, finding 305 messages (5.1%) that needed to be referred to the security agencies to determine whether they did, in fact, have secret information that needed to be redacted before public release. State Dept spokesperson:
We’re taking this very seriously.
U.S. offers $5 million reward
The U.S. State Department offers a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Guzman. The tip line is being managed by the DEA’s San Diego field office.
Rosenberg, acting head of the DEA, says Guzman is most likely in Mexico, hiding in his home state of Sinaloa, Mexico. But Rosenberg acknowledged that the elusive Guzman could be anywhere.
I think he is still in Mexico. Do I know that? No. It’s an educated guess.
Thailand human trafficking criticized
Thailand continues to be blacklisted in the U.S. State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons report for consecutive second time for not combatting modern-day slavery. This comes after the country presses charges against more than 100 people, including an army general, on counts of human trafficking after dozens of bodies were found in a jungle prison camp earlier this year.
Thailand investigated and prosecuted some cases against corrupt officials involved in trafficking, but trafficking-related corruption continued to impede progress. Relevant agencies have intensified their efforts, which led to the crackdowns of trafficking syndicates as well as many arrests and punishments of high-ranking officials complicit in human trafficking.
Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
[The report] does not accurately reflect the significant efforts undertaken by the government.
Human rights status boosted
The State Department elevates Malaysia in its latest human trafficking report. The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report gives Malaysia a boost to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 3. State Department:
The Government of Malaysia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so.